UAlbany hands Stony Brook first league loss

ALBANY — Junior forward Sam Rowley had a double-double, and Gary Johnson scored 19 points to lead the University at Albany to a 77-67 win over Stony Brook in an America East Conference basketball game at SEFCU Arena Wednesday night.

The Danes become the first America East team to beat Stony Brook this season. The Seawolves started the league season with seven straight wins.

UAlbany (5-3 in the league, 11-10 overall) took a 38-33 lead at halftime and built on it quickly in the second half. Leading 44-41, the Danes went on a 12-0 run to break the game open. The final points, a 3-pointer from Dallas Ennema, gave the Danes a 56-41 lead with 12:56 left. Stony Brook never made a serious run to get back in it. The closest the Seawolves got was 74-65 with 54 seconds left.

The Danes led by as many as 18 points in the second half.

Rowley finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, his first double-double since Jan. 8 when he had 20 points and 12 rebounds against UMBC. After that game, he bruised his right wrist against Vermont and it has bothered him mightily in the last five games. Thursday was the first time since the injury that he looked comfortable on the court.

“It’s the best it has felt in awhile,” Rowley said.

Johnson made five of nine shots form the field and was eight for 10 from the free throw line. The starting backcourt of DJ Evans and Peter Hooley each added 11 points for the Danes, who were coming off a 60-56 loss at New Hampshire (which only had three wins at the time) last Thursday,

“Losing has to be unacceptable, it has to hurt,” said UAlbany coach Will Brown. “Our guys are excited right now. This shows what they are capable of doing and it also makes some of the games we lost earlier hurt even more than before.Tonight, we played with a tremendous sense of urgency, which we had been lacking.”

The Danes outrebounded Stony Brook, 31-26. It was the first time in the league season that the Seawolves had been outrebounded.

Stony Brook was without starting point guard Carson Puriefoy (11.7 ppg). who was back on Long Island with a groin injury. The Seawolves were led by 6-foot-8 sophomore center Jameel Warney, who had a game-high 21 points.

“Give Albany credit, they did a good job,” Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell. “They beat us. You have to play better than that if you want to win on the road.”

9 Responses

Game not as close as the score. Kudos’s to the UA kids played with determination and hustle. Great game for them.
SB came in cocky, attitude especially when they got a nice led. Brown outcoached SB coach with adjustments.

Didn’t realize that starting point guard was out till I read the paper this am. Point guard for SB suspect Wednesday night, one kid open all the time waving his arms never got the ball, coach never made adjustments good for UA. Wayland right though where everything went right for UA and everything wrong for SB, but that happens in college hoops.

Announcers stated fouls were totally one sided towards UA. That was good for UA. Makes no sense with UA the slower more physical team while SB the more athletic. NCAA will need to address this issue before the tournament in light of the new rules.

with 15 seconds left, got up and started walking out, as UA dribbled out the clock, I walked by the Stony Brook bench, that last possession, Pikiell three times said yelling at his bench, “look at them celebrating”, he was already coaching for the next meeting….said it three times…

Great win for UA, after a nervous start, and when the game settled in, UA was the better team last night..played hard, made shots, good on the boards and caused TO’s of their own..

while he did get 15 shots…I thought the Seawolves should have just continue to pound the ball to Warney, that kid is a stud…

Dave, look for FACTS instead of listening to announcers. The slower, unathletic Great Danes outrebounded SB, had more steals, fewer turnovers. Each team made three foul shots in the first half. In the second half fouls were six to six with five minutes left and UA with a 16-point lead, AFTER which Albany made 12 of 14 FTs. It was Albany attacking inside; Stony Brook tried 20 three-pointers to Albany’s 11, and you shouldn’t foul jump shots.

But what’s an America East game without somebody complaining about the refs.

@5, I “think” Dave’s point maybe were the lack of calls against UA?? Pikiell was complaining ALOT bout non-calls vs. actual calls….regardless, UA totally outplayed S.B. after the first 4-5 minutes and deserved to win this game….

#5 ref’s pitiful in both AE and MAAC. Yes UA outplayed SB as stated. Fan here of UA but still believe SB is the better team. Thought Brown did an admirable job coaching. Most here critiques the games as fans of the games and fans of the varied teams. You sound like truth be told from last hear. Any win is a good one and this was a great one for UA. Hopefully history will mot repeat itself as it has dome the last several years with the UPS and down the team has unnecessarily had to work through.